After being overshadowed by the Fort Hood shootings for several weeks, the year’s two major domestic policy stories—health care and the economy—re-emerged atop the news agenda last week.

But much of the media buzz, particularly in the talk show universe, revolved around the week’s No. 3 story—Sarah Palin’s book tour…..

Given her status as a polarizing public figure, it’s no surprise that Palin’s book tour last week—which included her doing interviews with everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Oprah Winfrey—was a hot topic in the talk show world. Indeed more than one-fifth (21%) of the airtime studied on the 12 cable and radio talk shows in the NCI was devoted to the 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate, making it the No. 2 story there after health care. By a narrow margin, coverage of her book tour last week (8%) exceeded the attention devoted to her decision to resign as Alaska governor (7% from July 6-12, 2009).

One question: why is Palin supposedly polarizing but Obama is not? Makes no sense to me. It’s just another alternate reality created by what Palin calls “The Lamestream Media” (LSM).

November 23, 2009

Let us live in this love and this happiness, you and I and all of us, in the love of Christ and in contemplation, for this is where we find ourselves and one another as we truly are. It is only in this love that we at last become real. (Thomas Merton)

Another picture form yesterday's Palin-exciting event here in Asheville. Click here for more photos, all courtesy of the Citizen-Times.

November 22, 2009

I found out about 1:30 this afternoon (Sunday) that Sarah Palin was flying into Asheville to have dinner with Billy Graham in Montreat. Her plane was arriving at 3:30 pm. It’s cold, it’s rainy and I didn’t want to drive, but I called a couple of friends from my Hillary group and one of them said, sure let’s go and she said she would drive.

We got there just as her plane arrived. She arrived at the small private airport. She stepped out of the plane wearing a violet suit jacket and black skirt and really high high heels (I don't know how she does it). She was holding Trig. Piper was also there along with her (Sarah's) mother and father and her Aunt Kate. Franklin Graham was there to greet her and I presume take her and family to Montreat. There were about 15 reporters and not more than 10 fans; I was the only one with a book!!

I hope I wasn't too obnoxious but I was very excited. Sarah came into the small building and started greeting people. When she got to me I asked her if she would sign my book and pulled out a pen for her because I figured she wouldn't have one, which she didn't. She said sure; I told her I was a Puma, former Hillary supporter, and worked for her campaign. I asked her to run in 2012. Well, would you believe, she hugged me! Wow! I said God Bless You and she moved on.

She spoke briefly and took a few questions from the reporters. I couldn't think of what to ask or I'm sure she would have responded. I asked her Dad if he would sign my book also and after she was done speaking, he did; he signed his name and underneath he wrote "Dad". I thought it was cute (I had called him Dad).

I was interviewed by the local newspaper and one tv station. I looked pretty rag-tag as I just grabbed my rain coat and ran out the door..yuk; I hope they don't use the footage. I think it was really funny that one local reporter who I guess is really well known started to ask me questions and I turned to her and asked her who she was. My friend was standing behind me and she told the reporter that I don't have a tv to explain the fact that I had no clue she was famous. So funny.

Sarah was gorgeous and very gracious and I am thrilled to have a signed copy of her book (with the extra bonus of Dad in the back).

Below is a picture of Sarah signing my book. Click here for more photos.

Hillary On Mumbai

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families touched by these acts of terror in Mumbai. We still do not know the full measure of this tragedy, which has taken the lives of Indian citizens, Americans, and others who had traveled to Mumbai from around the world. Two New Yorkers, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and Rivka Holtzberg of Brooklyn are among those who have died, leaving behind their young son. The young couple had traveled from Brooklyn to manage a small Chabad house, welcoming Jews from India and elsewhere to learn, pray, and serve the community.
There could be no sharper a reminder, nor a more poignant call to action, than the brutal and heinous violence visited upon the Nariman House and the Holtzberg family, living and working in Mumbai on a mission of peace, scholarship, and spiritual guidance.
As those responsible are brought to justice, as we aid and support the victims and their families, as we work to defeat radical extremism and the terror it spawns, let us find strength in knowing that in the face of those who seek to take lives, there are those who seek to give hope and comfort. In the face of those who wish only to destroy, there are individuals like Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and Rivka Holtzberg who travel great distances far from their homes to build a better world.